Texans interim head coach Wade Phillips watches his team warm up before their game against the Colts.

Texans interim head coach Wade Phillips watches his team warm up before their game against the Colts.

Photo: Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle

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Texans receiver Andre Johnson catches a pass before playing the Colts.

Texans receiver Andre Johnson catches a pass before playing the Colts.

Photo: Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle

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Texans general manager Rick Smith walks across the field before the game against the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Texans general manager Rick Smith walks across the field before the game against the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Photo: Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle

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Texans interim head coach Wade Phillips watches his team warm up before their game against the Colts.

Texans interim head coach Wade Phillips watches his team warm up before their game against the Colts.

Photo: Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle

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A Texans fan and Colts fan watch warmups before the game.

A Texans fan and Colts fan watch warmups before the game.

Photo: Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle

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Texans interim head coach Wade Phillips jogs on the field before the Colts game.

Texans interim head coach Wade Phillips jogs on the field before the Colts game.

Photo: Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle

Solomon: 5 things we learned after Texans' 12th straight loss

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1. Fun is not all it’s cracked up to be. Wade Phillips said he wanted the Texans to loosen up and have some fun. They loosened up all right. Colts got loose from defensive players throughout the day, and balls got loose from Case Keenum (interceptions) and Andre Johnson (drops). Ben Tate dropped a couple too, but luckily the Texans recovered. The tension that had built up was supposed to be relaxed once Gary Kubiak got fired. It didn’t matter.

2. Anger doesn’t help much either. Keenum said this week that the team was “pissed” at its predicament. Were this less of a family publication, I’d probably make wise with a crack asking if he meant down their legs, but I won’t. For the fourth time this season, the Texans failed to score a touchdown in a game. That is some horrid football. I bet the Texans are still pretty ticked off.

3. It isn’t the Texans’ fault that Big Money Griff had a nice day. How could you blame them? The name Griff Whalen wasn’t even on the flip chart roster in the press box, so how did they know he’d be on the field? Whalen, who was promoted from the Colts’ practice squad to the active roster on Saturday, had career highs in receptions, yards, and punt return yards, including a 51 yarder. His first-quarter touchdown was the first of his career. Bet he wishes he faced the Texans every week. He and everybody else in the league.

4. Put maple syrup on a pile of you-know-what and it is still a pile of you-know-what. Removing the lame-duck coach didn’t exactly stop the Texans from being the mistake-prone team they have been all season. No, it isn’t Wade Phillips’ fault. He tried a few tricks last week in practice, even bringing in officials to throw flags so players could see more yellow, but the Texans still did their darnedest to break a team record for penalties. They finally came up short – heck, they can’t even do that right – and finished with only 13 penalties, one shy of the team mark. (Oops, after I typed this and head down to do interviews, the Texans committed another penalty to tie the franchise record for the second consecutive game. Pitiful.)

5. The idea to play Case Keenum to see what he has is a stupid idea. Bob McNair should give the person who came up with this one a raise? Wait, what? Yes, a hefty raise. After all, what better way to get the No. 1 pick than to play a guy who doesn’t belong on the field and let him stay out there when he clearly gives you no chance to win? Let me reiterate, it’s not stupid to play Keenum if you want the top overall pick, but the explanation of wanting to see what he has is ridiculous. Who came up with that one? I mean do you really need to throw a guy out of an airplane without a parachute to see if he can fly? Keenum can’t fly. I know many of you think he is an angel, but he does not have wings and he has trouble winging it. He struggles reading blitzes, struggles with making decisions under pressure and struggles getting the ball to guys wearing the same color jersey. Other than that, he’s a pretty good NFL quarterback.